Dallin's Surprise Birthday Party

My friend Shannon and I have been planning a joint surprise birthday party for our husbands' 30th birthdays for months. Ty turned 30 last Thursday and Dallin turns 30 in a couple weeks. We figured a party after Ty's birthday and before Dallin's would really throw them off. So the 23rd it was!

I was able to find a really cute customizable banner and invitations for dirt cheap on various websites. Pretty much only had to pay shipping! I faked a Relief Society meeting to meet up with Shan at Costco on Tuesday to pick up all the food and order the cake.

As Saturday approached I got really nervous about pulling the whole thing off. We even ran into one of Dallin's friends Friday night who wished him Happy Birthday. !! Luckily, Dallin seemed really confused so I knew he didn't suspect anything.

My plan to get him to his parents' house at noon was to have his sister text him Saturday morning and tell him she'd already taken care of the lawn then have his mom text him a bit later and invite us to "lunch." Friday night Dallin got in his head that he wanted to go to Black Bear Cafe for brunch Saturday morning. (We ate there in St. George and just found out there is one in Sandy and their pancakes are to die for). I panicked for a bit but then he decided to call his parents to see if they wanted to go and thus started the web of lies to get him to the party. His dad told him that he'd already taken care of the lawn and that he was just going to call and invite us to lunch anyway, so to just meet at the house at noon and we'd decide where we were going to go. Couldn't have worked out any more perfect. He didn't suspect a thing.

We stopped at Smith's on the way to his parents and ran into his brother-in-law and sister who were picking up soda for the party. I tried to stall to let them beat us to the house by filling up my 1/2 full tank with gas but ultimately we pulled in right in front of them. Dallin walked in the house and was thoroughly surprised! He was so confused for a minute, he thinks he looked stupid but I thought it was cute. Whew, one surprise accomplished.

The plan was for Ty and Shan to show up about 15 minutes after (his family was already there waiting) but I got a text from Shannon that Ty wasn't feeling well and she wasn't sure they were going to make it. She was going to give him a little time to see if he'd feel up to it. As she gave me updates he was lying on the floor of a rest stop (they were on their way home from a family reunion) and shortly later they were pulled over on the side of the road for him to puke. She decided to tell him about the surprise and see if he even felt well enough to come say hi for a minute. He was so sick he couldn't even do that. So his family enjoyed the BBQ we had all prepared in his honor and took lots of pictures for him. After the party, Dal and I took them some leftover meat and dinosaur cake.

So overall, throwing my first surprise party was a sucess (minus one of the guests of honor!) Dallin had never had a surprise party so it was fun to throw him one. I'll have to take him to Black Bear for his birthday. We're getting the party started early around here!

Downward Spiral

You are cordially invited to my Pity Party.  If you don't want to come, best to stop reading now.

On the way home from the wedding in St. George we stopped in Provo to drop off a table and chairs we'd been hauling in my dad's truck.  Right as we pulled into the parking lot of their new apartment complex, a couple was getting out of the car; arms filled with balloons, flowers and...a brand new baby.

For some reason, this hit me REALLY hard.  I didn't even know these people, but felt my heart breaking into little itty bitty pieces.  I couldn't help but wonder if that will ever be us.  Really, truly, honestly, even with all the faith in the world, I seriously wonder if it will happen.  I really can't even imagine it in my hopes of all hopes.  Sometimes that's just as frustrating, not being able to see that in my mind.  Maybe I'm selectively blocking it because it's too difficult and gets my hopes up too high?

On the rollercoaster of infertility, I'm kind of on the downward slope.  You get up high and have all the faith in the world and are gung-ho to try everything and anything, then there are the moments where things are so overwhelming that you can't think about it without crying and you are just SO tired.  Emotionally, physically, mentally, everything.  SO tired.  I'm right smack in the middle of the down part.  Anger, frustration, disappointment, failure, sadness, guilt, etc. There are so many emotions (all bad) that it's hard to describe or reason why.

My "witch doctors" have been telling me, "June, June, June" and here we are, JUNE, and I honestly don't feel pregnant.  I don't feel a bit different so the reality of dwindling hopes are compounding.  Not to mention at my appointment yesterday my Progesterone was low and my uterus meridian was acting up.  They did not like that.  At all.  After thinking about it myself, I came to the conclusion that it's probably more vampire babies.  My fibroid meridian was higher last time and so I texted the lady this morning and she said that yes, that is why it would be high.  Great.  So now I'm going to probably go get a second opinion from my doc and figure out where this one is and what the plan of action is.  The Health Spot tells me they can fix it through supplements, I hope to high heaven that is right because I do NOT want another surgery.  The thing that concerns me is if/when I get pregnant if I'm going to be inundated with vampires throughout since they feed off hormones and you have to be very careful with what you take while pregnant. 


Is it all really worth it?  Right now, I'm not so sure.  I'm going to give it through July then head back to the fertility clinic if I don't take a nice, long break.  Here's a beautiful picture of my pills (most of which are hidden by the large yellow ones).  I can't even forget about trying for a second because if it's not the 1/2 hour in the morning it takes for me to choke these all down, then it's the shake, and if I've taken my temperature, and if I've taken my drops, and if the pill is dissolved under my tongue yet, and if I've gotten enough exercise, if I've peed on the stick, if  I'm getting to bed in time, if I'm eating the right things and I'm TIRED.

So, I'll continue wallowing until I get that burst of hope to buoy me up again.  No need to worry, just an unjaded look as to what thousands of people go through every day.  Most much more severe than myself, but this is me and my story.  I really appreciate all the kind words and ideas that have been shared with me.  I feel so loved, so thank you.

Dads

 

Just a little post in honor of Father's Day last week.  There isn't much I could say on this blog that we haven't already shared with our fathers in funny cards, but we really want them to know how much we love them and how great they are!

Days of Weddings

Dallin's little brother got married in St. George last weekend.  We headed down on Friday and went to dinner with all the aunts and uncles Friday night.

Saturday morning (his sealing was in the early afternoon) the cousins took Thomas golfing - at the crack of dawn- and outfitted him with his very own ball and chain before he got his own of the wife kind.  Thanks to the DI and Home Depot for the bowling ball and drilling holes in bowling balls.  He was a good sport and wore it on every hole and I guess was quite the conversation starter.  He was a good sport.

The sealing was beautiful and I learned SO MUCH from the sealer.  Kind of one of those "ah ha!" moments where it's like, "OH, that's what THAT means!"  We took picture outside the temple then headed to The Ledges golf course for the luncheon and reception.

The food was YUMMY!  There was red velvet cake (smashed in the bride's face compliments of her new husband) and a chocolate fountain complete with rice krispie treats.  Let's say the diet didn't go well this weekend.

Yesterday they had an Open House in the Plaizier's back yard.  Thomas wanted Maggie in a little outfit to take pictures so a huge THANK YOU to my friend Jessica for pulling together this adorable tutu.  Let it be known that Maggie has a 29" waist.  Human-sized she is.  We took pictures with her before people came then I took her home, especially since she's not very mobile and wanted to just lay in the grass.  Her ACL surgery is scheduled for the 27th.

We're so excited for Thomas and Angela and are so happy for their new adventure together!

Daughtry

Last week Dallin and I went to Daughtry with my brother Brian and his friend Lacie. I'd been curious about the concert for a while because a) it was at Abravenal Hall. Weird right? and b) last time I saw Daughtry live, he wasn't that good. So I thought I'd give it another go because I really do love his songs.
This guy named Mike Sanchez opened first. He was alright. Songs were pretty catchy but his personality was super annoying. Next opener was SafetySuit. Can I say I am a FAN now?!? I had heard one of their songs that is currently on the radio ("Stay" - look it up) which is actually one of their older songs. The guy was such a spaz on the stage running around, very theatrical, shadow boxing the backdrop, I just couldn't peel my eyes away. Plus, he hit every freaking note, and they were BIG ones, the whole time. Right before the last song he threw a guitar pick out into the audience and immediately grabbed his shoulder. Dallin noticed it but I didn't think much of it. He then informs us that he's dislocated his shoulder and just needed to sit down for a minute. You could see the color drain right out of his face so he laid down on the stage and proceeds to try and pop it back into place in front of everybody! [Stomach turning!!] He tells us how this song is what made them popular and proceeds to sing it while writhing in pain on the floor. And he did a dang good job!! The second it's over the stage manager and everyone runs out to help him off and he kind of collapses. That warranted a standing ovation from the whole place. In the days of divas and fakers, this guy really showed that music is his passion and I'm a big fan.
Daughtry was next up. It was a pretty decent show. The guy from SafetySuit could sing circles around Daughtry though. Whether it's that he moves the mic for the big notes so you can't hear them, or he doesn't sing them because yelling every night would make him lose his voice, I don't know, but I didn't hear him hit the big notes. He had this political/fundraiser video in the middle and those always bug me. But it was a fun show. Not to mention we had KILLER seats! Front row of the first tier right next to the stage. We all caught guitar picks after the show too!

So it was a fun night. I'm a sucker for concerts anyway. They are one of my most favorite things in the world. Makes we wish (sometimes) that I'd stuck around the music industry because I'm really passionate about it but it's not the type of industry that is conducive to families and religion which is ultimately what is REALLY important to me. I can't wait for Celine in August!!